Prospects of a Kurdish state and what it means for Armenia

[Artsakh]

Re: Prospects of a Kurdish state and what it means for Armenia

WORLD: Israel and Kurds: the time for open support



Israel has quietly cooperated with Kurdish rebels for decades. We are essential to them as their only source of military expertise and an important source of weapons, and we need them for clandestine activities in Iran.

Now that the Iraqi government is impotent and Kurdish leaders have proclaimed their right to autonomy, if not secession, Israel must come out into the open. There are many pros and no cons.

Israeli support for the Kurds is our best threat to Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey, which have large Kurdish minorities.

Kurdistan, with its mammoth oil reserves, will be one of the richest nations on earth, and a viable partner for Israel.

Kurds are by far the most civilized Muslims, and cooperation with them is an excellent way for Israel to break Muslim unity against us.

Helping the Kurds to break up Iraq would also be a good way to snub Obama.

The Kurds have a large standing army, which has won many battles against the Iraqis. We can help them win. We can stem Iraqi retaliation against them by promising direct involvement on their behalf. We can pressure the United States to recognize their independence.

Kurdistan is a historic opportunity for Israel, and it would be a crime to miss it.


Samson Blinded

http://www.mizozo.com/world/01/2011/03/israel-and-kurds-the-time-for-open-support.html

[Artsakh]

Re: Prospects of a Kurdish state and what it means for Armenia

Armenian expert forecasts Kurdish issue exacerbation in Turkey
June 15, 2011 - 16:26 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Director of the Oriental Studies Institute at the Armenian National Academy of Sciences, professor Ruben Safrastyan forecasts exacerbation of Kurdish issue in Turkey.

As the expert told a news conference in Yerevan, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which gained over 50% of votes at recent parliamentary elections is unable to solve the gradually exacerbating problem. “This is the reason the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party, which failed to garner enough votes to make it to parliament, however managing to secure seats for its supporters, demands a dialogue with the ruling party,” the expert said.

“Kurds are aware that Erdogan won’t be able to change the country’s constitution all by himself,” Safrastyan remarked.

http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/72548/

[Artsakh]

Re: Prospects of a Kurdish state and what it means for Armenia

Interesting link:

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/europe/Kurdish-Rebel-Leader-Warns-of-Return-to-Conflict-123823039.html

[Artsakh]

Re: Prospects of a Kurdish state and what it means for Armenia

June 14, 2011

Emboldened Kurds Press Demands in Turkey

The imprisoned leader of the Kurdish rebel group the PKK set a June 15 deadline for Turkey's government to start negotiations to resolve Kurdish demands or face a return to conflict. Since the threat, made in April, Turkey's pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party, the BDP, scored advances in last Sunday's general election, increasing its representation from 20 to 36 in the 550-seat assembly.

The success of the pro-Kurdish BDP in Sunday's elections comes as concerns are being expressed that Turkey is the verge of a return to conflict and civil unrest because of the unmet aspirations of its Kurdish minority. One of the newly elected deputies, Altan Tan, has a stark warning to the new government:

"We want a new constitution, we want an agreement with the government, which will give us our rights. If they don’t solve this problem, they could not do anything. We will make Kurdistan like Egypt, like Yemen, like Syria. We don’t want this," Tan said.

His warning follows the arrest over the last two years of nearly 2,000 party members, including 12 elected mayors, all accused of having links to the outlawed PKK, which has been fighting the Turkish state since 1984. The imprisoned leader of the PKK, Abdullah Ocalan, has warned that the rebels will end their cease-fire on Wednesday unless the government starts negotiations to meet their demands.

The escalating situation follows the collapse two years ago of government attempts to end the conflict, an effort known as the 'Kurdish opening."

"Until now Turkish politicians have put condition to negotiate -- stop the armed struggle. Kurds did. Nothing happened, with the exception of (the) short-lived Kurdish opening. As long as there is no political process, the armed struggle will probably continue," said political scientist Cengiz Aktar, from Istanbul's Bahcesehir University.

In his victory speech following the re-election of Turkey's ruling party, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan committed himself to a new constitution, which he said will be a politically inclusive process. But during the election campaign, in which he courted Turkish nationalist voters, he took a tough stance against Kurdish demands for education in Kurdish and greater autonomy. Mr. Erdogan even said he would have hanged PKK leader Ocalan if he had been in power when Ocalan was captured in 1999.

But if Mr. Erdogan is prepared to negotiate, he may find more willing partners than in the past among the newly-elected pro-Kurdish deputies. according to Sinan Ulgen of the Turkish research firm Edam:

"On the positive side, they have also included some representatives who have not been associated [with the] more radical line of the Kurdish movement. That might allow them to play a more constructive role on the Kurdish issue," Ulgen said.

But a political scientist at Istanbul University, Nuray Mert, questions whether any of Turkey's main parties are ready to address the Kurdish movement's warnings and calls to negotiate.

"Unfortunately, neither the governing parties nor parties in opposition, they refuse to take it seriously, and think if [they] recognize [the] seriousness of the problem, it will be a surrender to Kurdish demands," said Mert.

During his campaign, the prime minister said there was no longer a Kurdish problem, but rather the problem lay with the BDP inciting unrest. The BDP countered that they represented Turkey's last chance for a negotiated settlement, warning that the generation following them will be far more militant.

That threat is real, according to the deputy head of the ruling AK party in Diyarbakir, Mohammed Akar.

He says that if there is disappointment, the whole idea of integration will end. Separation and conflict will come to the fore. He says that if he can see this, the prime minister, the state should see it as well. Akar adds that "The danger that is lying ahead is a nightmare," Akar said.

Since the start of the PKK's armed struggle, more than 40,000 people have been killed. Observers warn that Turkey's new parliament may find the country at a crossroads - either peace or a return to conflict and civil strife.

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Emboldened-Kurds-Press-Demands-in-Turkey-123852919.html

[Artsakh]

Re: Prospects of a Kurdish state and what it means for Armenia

3 Kurdish rebels killed in fighting in eastern Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey - Turkey's state-run Anatolia news agency says troops have killed three Kurdish rebels in fighting in eastern Turkey.

The Anatolia agency says the fighting occurred near a village in Sivas province on Tuesday.

The military operation against the rebels was still under way. Reinforcements were sent to the area and troops were being backed with air power.

The rebels of the Kurdistan Worker's Party, or PKK, are waging a campaign for autonomy in southeast Turkey. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people since 1984.

The group's imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, had warned of increased violence unless the government puts an end to the fighting with the rebels.

http://www.brandonsun.com/world/breaking-news/123807499.html?thx=y

[kurdman]

Re: Prospects of a Kurdish state and what it means for Armenia

Why don't you post your links and tell people that it is a Georgian lawyer that is talking and he's giving his opinion?

It's from the interviews, and the link was posted in the previous page

http://groong.org/orig/yezidi.html

[KarotheGreat]

Re: Prospects of a Kurdish state and what it means for Armenia

Why don't you post your links and tell people that it is a Georgian lawyer that is talking and he's giving his opinion?

[kurdman]

Re: Prospects of a Kurdish state and what it means for Armenia

RA: In Armenia there are lots of problems and political parties
such as Dashnaksutiun like the PKK. On the other hand, the Armenian
Government doesn't like to recognize Yezidis as Kurds so the only
people willing to help Yezidis in Armenia with their identity are
groups such as the PKK. However, when the PKK first went to Armenia
they were very strong, but since the establishment of [Iraqi]
Kurdistan more Yezidis are becoming increasingly passionate about
South Kurdistan, which is Northern Iraq.

In Georgia it's different. The PKK was strong here until 1995 when,
because they are neighbors, relations between Georgia and Turkey
became stronger. As a result, the PKK lost its influence on the
people. Now, in Armenia, as people become aware of what's going on in
Iraqi Kurdistan they establish links with the political parties there
and become more passionate about Iraqi Kurdistan as well.

Great to know it's started

OK: You travel to Iraqi Kurdistan, but when you do is this in an
official capacity?

RA: The invitation always comes from [President of the Autonomous
Kurdish Government] Masoud Barzani's Office or the Regional
Government.



OK: And how do you feel when you travel to Iraqi Kurdistan?

RA: It's a great feeling because it's my country and as the Kurds
are divided between various countries I'm happy that there is now
freedom in Iraqi Kurdistan. Also, I have to say that the Kurds in Iraq
are very educated and aware of what is happening not only in their own
region, but also worldwide. They are also very helpful and hospitable.
When I visited Lalish [Yezidi Religious Center in Iraq] I was impressed.

Excellent.

OK: So, as far as you're concerned, it doesn't affect your ability
to communicate with Yezidis living in Armenia?


RA: There is no problem at all. We are Kurds and nobody accepts
anyone saying something different. All Kurds were Yezidis until they
adopted Islam, but we didn't. Our religion is different, but we are
still Kurds. All over the world people have one language and so do
we, so how can anyone say we are not one nation? We can understand the
Soranis and they can understand us, and we can understand the Goranis,
Bedinis and vice-versa.

Thank you!

[kurdman]

Re: Prospects of a Kurdish state and what it means for Armenia

Good to see that at least the intellectuals can't be fooled.

A group of Kurdish intellectuals in Armenia, who are themselves
Yezidis, recently formed the Kurdish Intellectual Advisory
Committee. During the committee's second conference, held in early
May, 1992, in Yerevan, they focused primarily on the detrimental
effects of the Yezidi movement in Armenia, and its aims to destroy
Kurdish unity. Supporters of the Yezidi movement had threatened to
blow up the building in which the conference was to be held, but
forces from Armenia's Interior Ministry were assigned to guard the
building against such violence.

Hmmm

Their opposers consider the Yezidi movement "absurd" and designed to
take the Yezidis back to the "dark ages" as conservative religious
Sheikhs practice power plays. Dr Karlen Chachani and Kurdish scholar
and corresponding member of the Armenian Academy of Sciences, Shakhro
Mehoyan, Charkaz Mesdoian, as well as a score of other Kurdish
intellectuals who are Yezidi, argue that the Yezidi separatist
movement has the full support of the Armenian government.

As I said, Yazidi else where find this disturbing.

"One million Yezidi Kurds around the world are amazed at this division
of Yezidis in Armenia," says Teimur Muradov. "Their propoganda is
absurd. Two days' expense of Yezidi Radio Hour's operating cost can
cover one month's publishing cost of Riya Taza. The anti-Armenia news
the Yezidi movement leaders publish and broadcast is beamed into
Turkey... making Armenia look very bad."

AT: I am the President of all the Yezidi in the world as well as
the President of the National Union of Yezidi in Armenia. I am also the
Director and editor of this newspaper, "Yezdikhana" [formerly "Voice
of Yezidi"] but there is also another editor. This is my book [shows
book] and there are sections on the Yezidi and the Kurds. There is
also more information about myself.

Errr..... no your not, how can you be the 'president' if no one has voted for you in your imaginary elections? besides the Prince of the Yazidi people is alive and kicking, he lives in Lalish.

AT: There is no connection. The Yezidi speak Yezideren. You read
English, don't you?

Again, yes... the 'Yazidi' language is kurmanji.

OK: According to this, because the Armenian Government has
recognized the official languages of the Republic of Armenia as being
Assyrian, Yezidi, Russian, Greek and Kurdish, the Council of Europe
has also recognized them as such and that Yezidi exists as a separate
language.

AT: Of course.

Lol, so becuase the Armenian government listed Yazidi as a language, that makes it different to Kurmanji? what a clown.

[kurdman]

Re: Prospects of a Kurdish state and what it means for Armenia

In their effort to create a separatist movement the Yezidi movement
leaders have established themselves within the newly formed Armenian
government. Sheikh Hasan Hasanian appointed himself archbishop of the
Yezidis and as a member of the Armenian Parliament, often voices
anti-Kurdish, pro-Yezidi sentiments. Supporters of the Yezidi
movement often resort to violence and intimidation to silence the
Kurdish intellectuals, who although Yezidis themselves, oppose such a
separation. These violent actions have been reported to the government
officials, but no legal actions have been taken. To further expand
their movement, the Yezidi movement leaders established in 1991, the
bi-weekly Dinge Yezdisa (Yezidi Voice) newspaper, edited by Sheikh
Hasane, who is a former staff member of the Kurdish radio programme,
who in 1990, opened the first Kurdish school in Yerevan. The Yezidi
Voice is published in Armenian, which Sheikh Hasane explains is done
to "introduce Yezidis to our Armenian brothers". In addition the
Yezidis now have a 30 minute Yezidi Radio Programme. While the Yezdi
programs receive financial support from the Armenian government, the
Riya Taza, and the Kurdish Radio Programme suffer from severe
financial problems, which have halted Riya Taza's publications for the
last six months of 1992.

http://groong.org/orig/ja-19980702.html